Profiling miRNA in salivary samples from subjects with endometriosis: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Molecular Biology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Endometriosis is a prevalent, chronic gynecological disorder causing pain and infertility.
• The molecular mechanisms of endometriosis, including lesion persistence and inflammation, are not fully understood.
• This limits the development of effective non-surgical diagnostic tools and targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate salivary microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in women with endometriosis.
• To identify potential salivary miRNA biomarkers for endometriosis diagnosis and monitoring.
• To explore the role of miRNAs in endometriosis pathogenesis and therapeutic modulation.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 176 women with endometriosis and 124 controls.
• Analysis of salivary miRNA expression using next-generation sequencing.
• Stratification of patients into untreated and treated groups, with controls including healthy individuals and women with benign gynecological conditions.

Main Results:

• Ten salivary miRNAs were significantly associated with endometriosis disease activity.
• Seven of these miRNAs have prior links to endometriosis, while three are associated with inflammation or cancer pathways.
• A gradient of miRNA expression was observed across clinical groups, with intermediate levels in treated patients, suggesting modulation by therapy. PTEN was identified as a key regulated gene, implicating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Conclusions:

• Salivary miRNAs represent promising non-invasive biomarkers for endometriosis diagnosis and monitoring.
• These findings provide novel insights into the molecular pathways involved in endometriosis pathogenesis.
• Further research can leverage these salivary miRNAs for improved clinical management of endometriosis.